[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 25 (Thursday, February 25, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E247-E248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                IN SUPPORT OF KFUO 99.1 FM ``CLASSIC99''

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. WM. LACY CLAY

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 25, 2010

  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I stand today on behalf of my constituents 
and with my friend and colleague Congressman John Shimkus to raise 
further concern about the pending sale and format change of Classic99. 
As St. Louis's only classical radio station, Classic99 is a true asset 
to our city.
  As Congressman Shimkus noted, the sale of KFUO 99.1 FM by the 
Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod is currently under review by both the 
Media Bureau and the FCC. While we certainly do not wish to exact undue 
influence on either of these agencies, our constituents have made clear 
to us their concerns, and we agree that this loss will be a blow to the 
wealth of our region's culture and economy. We hope that these negative 
impacts will be considered while reviewing this sale.
  We have seen that losing the arts can wreak havoc on a community, and 
the Metro East region will be no different. If Classic99 is converted 
to a different music format, the cultural and economic consequences 
will be dismal. The world-renowned St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will 
lose airtime and its chief advertising venue, forcing gifted musicians 
and staff to suffer even more pay cuts and freezes. Losing Classic99 
will result in a cultural deficit as well. 94% of readers polled by the 
St. Louis Post-Dispatch feel that the loss of Classic99 ``takes away a 
vital voice for the arts in this community,'' and will detrimentally 
affect their ability to support local artists.
  Arts education organizations throughout my district, like the Opera 
Theater of St. Louis, the St. Louis Art Museum, and the Touhill 
Performing Arts Center, will lose their only major arena for audience-
building, live broadcasts, and fund-raising. The loss of revenue will 
hinder arts and music education in the district, further impairing 
opportunities for our young people to be enriched through the arts. We 
know that arts education gives youths self-confidence and increases 
academic achievement. We simply cannot afford to sacrifice these 
opportunities, and I am deeply troubled by the idea that more 
educational outlets for our children will be put in jeopardy by this 
move.
  I firmly agree with my colleague that the negative impact these 
cultural and economic changes will have on the local community should 
play a role in determining the sale of 99.1.

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